At The Beginning
by Jade-Max
Summary: Serena/Darien songfic based on the early life in the West. A/U.
1. Chapter 1 : At The Beginning

July 2000  
  
Ok, Disclaimers, I don't own these characters or the song,  
and I'm not making money off of this, unfortunetly. The song  
is from the "Anastasia" Soundtrack.   
  
The story however, does belong to me.   
  
This is a Songfic (obviously) about Serena and Darien.  
  
  
At The Beginning  
  
*We were strangers  
Starting out on a journey  
Never dreaming  
What we'd have to go through  
Now here we stand  
And I'm suddenly standing  
At the beginning with you.*  
  
Grubby hands, matted with blood and dirt, held the  
tattered edges of the worn shirt together, trying desperately  
to keep out the cold. Bare feet, lacking any color or  
feeling, trudged through the high snow drifts, leaving a  
clear trail out behind. A sob tore from a raw throat as a  
child of no more than thirteen collapsed in a deep drift,  
ebony hair glittering with frozen shards of water. "Help."  
Rasped the child, the sound barely passing from between  
frozen lips. Blood, dried and frozen, lined one arm and leg,  
his pants torn off below the knee on the left leg to reveal a  
large gash across his thigh. One hand, the fingers obviously  
broken from the bones punching through the skin, lay limply  
cradled to his chest as he rolled onto his back. His face  
was lined with streaks of crimson from a head wound that  
wasn't visible under his hair. His features betrayed that  
one-day, should he live beyond this night, he would be very  
handsome indeed.   
  
The child pushed himself with visible effort to his  
knees, wincing with each movement. He rose to his feet and  
stumbled forward again, leaving a deep slash of crimson  
across the snow where he'd lain. He fought forward, some  
instinct telling him to continue, to push on even in his  
battered and torn state. His eyes rolled up in his head a  
short time after his collapse and he passed out, boneless and  
uncaring, on some kind of hard surface, the tinkling of  
distant laughter following him down into darkness...   
  
  
Fire. He kicked out as his feet felt like they were on  
fire, the sensations running across his nerve endings and  
causing him to cry out with a rasping shout. Gentle hands  
pushed him back onto the soft surface where he lay, making  
him take into account that, even in his half delirious state  
of mind, he was warm. His feet wouldn't be ignored for long  
though and they showed it with a vengeance as they suddenly  
flared to life and he writhed on the palate, tears of pain  
streaming down his cheeks. Mercifully the pain was too much  
for him and a gentle, childish voice carried him back down  
into unconsciousness.   
  
  
The gentle hands were back, he noticed as he flinched  
away from them in unconscious thought. They were holding  
something unbelievably warm to his head, and something  
exceedingly cold to his right hand. The unconscious thought  
of his right hand caused it to throb and he cried out again  
as he tried to flex it and found it immobile. Tears streamed  
down his cheeks and he made no move to brush them away.  
  
"Do not move," a calming voice said from somewhere  
distant, "Please, you will be fine..." it trailed off as his  
eyes flew open, feverish and bright, and he sat up suddenly.   
Delicate feminine hands grasped his bare shoulders and pushed  
gently, sending him back down with a minimum of effort, "You  
have been wounded, please, rest young man."  
  
The voice began to sing softly and he closed his eyes,  
focusing on it, as he drifted off into a healing slumber.  
  
  
"Is he going to be alright?" a childish voice, trying to  
be quiet, woke him from slumber.  
  
"He will be fine, little one, do not worry. He seems  
strong but he needs his rest."  
  
The younger voice sounded unsure, "Are you sure, Emily?   
He was badly hurt. I thought you would have to take his feet  
off."  
  
A chuckle made him smiled slightly as the elder woman  
responded, her voice full of confidence, "He will recover,  
child, don't you fret about it."  
  
"Really? He's been unconscious for a long time, Emily."  
  
"I know, dearest, I know. Sleep will heal him, it is  
best he sleeps for now, his body couldn't mend it he was up  
and about."  
  
He chose at that moment to groan and open his eyes.   
Images were blurry and spinning but he refused to close them  
as everything slowly settled into the way it should be, the  
nausea disappearing as things became focused. He was lying a  
few yards from a glowing fire on a palette of furs that was  
amazingly comfortable. He could feel a crude bandage wrapped  
around his chest, another around his thigh and yet another  
around his head. The cabin, for the interior logs could only  
be a cabin, was homey and warm, decorated with an ancient  
rocking chair, a large bed in one corner and a small couch.   
Rugs and furs decorated the floor, keeping the chill from the  
feet of the occupants.   
  
His gaze focused on the two who had been discussing him.   
An elderly lady was seated in the rocking chair, knitting in  
her lap. A basket of yarn was at her feet as she gently  
rocked back and forth, smiling indulgently at a small girl  
child. She was a woman with an air of refinement, though she  
was dressed in trousers, a jerkin made from doe skin and had  
her silver-grey hair piled in a bun on top of her head.  
  
The little girl who sat next to her resembled a forest  
nymph. She was tiny, surely no older than six or seven, and  
dressed in a gown made from beaver skins, if he wasn't  
mistaken: warm but hardly fashionable. Her hair was pulled  
back in a single ponytail, and for some reason, she had a lot  
of it. The golden strands glittered like molten sunshine in  
the light of the fire and fell easily to her knees held up as  
it was.  
  
"Who are you?" he asked harshly, his voice still tender  
and raw and he winced from using it. He could see the  
remnants of his clothes on a mending rack near the bed.  
  
Two pairs of eyes, one wise grey-blue, the other a  
curious and concerned robin's egg blue, turned his way. The  
elderly woman put her knitting away and rose, coming over to  
kneel next to him and he was shocked at how fluidly she  
moved. From her position in the rocking chair he'd judged  
her to be a lot older than her tread betrayed. She smiled at  
him, raising one hand to feel his forehead and then nodded  
and grasped a small water bucket from where it lay cooling  
next to his palette. She removed the dipper from the bucket  
and put it to his lips, sending a surprisingly cold flow of  
liquid into his mouth and he drank greedily. She obliged him  
by letting him drink his fill and then sat next to him, the  
little blonde nymph peering over her shoulder curiously.  
  
"My name, is Emily," she told him in an amazingly strong  
voice, "This is my charge, Serena. You gave us quite the  
scare young man, falling over our wood pile like that. What  
is your name?"  
  
He shrugged, unsure what to tell her, as his brow  
knitted up in confusion and his eyes widened, "I.. I can't  
remember my name." He admitted.  
  
"Well, I guess we'll just have to call you something  
then. How about Darien? Dare for short, considering only a  
dare should have been able to get you out on a night like  
that one!"  
  
He nodded hesitantly, "That would be alright. How long  
have I been here?"   
  
Emily sighed, "Far too long, young man. You've been  
asleep almost two weeks since we found you."  
  
He closed his eyes, accepting the blow stoically as  
Emily moved away and busied herself with something over the  
fireplace. He sniffed once, smelling something like stew,  
and had the grace to blush as his stomach growled loudly.   
Serena giggled, clapping a small hand over her lips as her  
blue eyes danced merrily. Darien shot her a look full of  
venom and then apologized to Emily, "I'm sorry, Miss Emily,  
but I am really hungry."  
  
She chuckled, stirring the stew carefully once more and  
then grabbed a pewter bowl and filled it to the brim with  
stew, "As it should be, a growing boy like you. Serena, get  
the water and don't be letting the heat out of the cabin as  
you do."  
  
"Yes mum," muttered the little girl and hurried to  
comply.  
  
Emily sat next to Darien again and then helped him sit  
up, propping him up with bunched and rolled furs. "One of  
your hands is broken, but it will heal I wager. If you don't  
mind letting an old woman like myself feed you, then you can  
conserve your strength for getting better."  
  
Darien smiled, "No mum, I don't mind at all. I'm hungry  
enough to eat raw rattlesnake right now."  
  
Emily smiled and dipped the spoon into the bowl, holding  
both up to his mouth as he blew gently on the stew and then  
opened his mouth, "And you'd be dumb enough to try it I  
reckon," Emily returned smiling. He only smiled and chewed  
carefully so not to burn his tongue.   
  
Serena returned when he was halfway through the bowl,  
carrying with her a bucket almost half her size and a draft  
that came sliding through the warm cabin like a cold knife.   
"Serena!" Emily reprimanded sharply as she hurried to bolt  
the heavy wooden door.  
  
Serena flushed and ducked her head, "I'm sorry, Emily,  
I'm still not strong enough to push the door and hold the  
bucket all at once."   
  
Emily turned from the door and gathered the child in her  
arm, "I shouldn't snap so. It's alright, Serena, I know  
you're still small. Maybe if you're nice, and we're lucky,  
Darien here will help with the chores once he's able to  
move."  
  
Darien nodded, eyeing the rest of his stew hungrily,  
"Yes mum, of course. I'd be happy to help."  
  
"There you see? Come, help yourself to your stew, and  
don't be burning your dress like last time."  
  
Serena skipped over to the stew pot and quickly  
collected herself a bowl, mindful of Emily's instructions,  
and then retired to a warm nest of furs near the fire to eat.   
She kept her intense blue eyes on their visitor as she ate,  
almost as if she expected him to bolt.  
  
Darien, mindful of her stare, did his best to ignore her  
as he was fed. He worked his way through three bowls of stew  
before fatigue got the better of him and he asked Emily to  
help lie him back down. Before his eyes closed, he heard  
Serena make some comment on hunting but couldn't pin point it  
as he drifted off to sleep again. 


	2. Chapter 2 : At The Beginning

July 2000  
  
Ok, Disclaimers, I don't own these characters or the song,  
and I'm not making money off of this, unfortunetly. The song  
is from the "Anastasia" Soundtrack.   
  
The story however, does belong to me.   
  
  
  
  
"He doesn't like me,"  
  
"Nonsense, dear heart, he's just tired and hurting, he  
doesn't even know you yet."  
  
Darien's head tossed back and forth as the voices  
flitted through his dreams, dreams that centred around a  
woman who's face he couldn't see but kept urging him to go to  
her and around a man who kept urging him to go home. He  
groaned, frustrated as the new, familiar voices flitted  
through his consciousness and blocked out the old. Faces  
appeared and he frowned as the nymph's complaint struck a  
chord within him. Surely he was only dreaming this... wasn't  
he?  
  
"No, Emily, he really doesn't like me. I don't think he  
likes anybody but you and I helped you with him! Did you see  
him look at me? He really must hate me, I thought I was going  
to shiver up from the cold in his eyes."  
  
In his dream the elderly woman gathered the little one  
into her arms and held her tight, "Don't worry, Serena,  
Darien will come around, you'll see angel, no one is able to  
not like you for long."  
  
Darien's lips quirked in a mirthless smile as he blocked  
out the voices. He didn't like the wining brat and she'd  
picked it up. Good for her. She'd do well to stay out of  
his path once he was up and about...  
  
  
"Come on, Darien, you can't lie there forever."  
  
"Get away from me," he snapped, not looking into her  
eyes and thus missing the flash of hurt that passed quickly  
through them.   
  
Anger quickly masked the hurt, "Well, Emily and me can't  
do everything around here, we're going to need your help. It  
is the dead of winter you know."  
  
"Someone should have taken the strap to your hide long  
ago." He retorted to back, "You're far too out spoken for  
someone your age, and a girl at that!"  
  
Serena crossed her arms over her chest defensively,  
"I've been out here for five winters with Emily and I  
remember every one of them. If I can't stand up for me,  
nobody is going to care enough to take my part. If you don't  
like it Darien, you can just go back to wherever it is you  
came from!" she turned sharply on her heel, leaving him  
speechless in the face of childish ire.  
  
  
'Five winters?' he thought to himself. Emily was out of  
the cabin, and from what Serena had told him she was checking  
the trap line and hunting for dinner. He sighed. He didn't  
like leaving the trapping to Emily, for some reason that  
didn't sit well with him, but leaving Serena all alone at the  
cabin, as annoying as she was, wasn't an option in his mind  
either. 'Five winters...' he mused again, scratching  
absently at his smooth chin. 'Just how old is she?'  
  
"Serena?"  
  
"I am not talking to you," she told him coldly as she  
proceeded to clean up the cabin. Tidy as the small area was,  
there wasn't much to clean but she then set about boiling  
water for washing and for supper later that night should it  
be needed.  
  
Darien sighed, running a hand through his hair. If she  
was indeed six or seven as he'd first thought, she couldn't  
have the five year memory she claimed. His curiosity gnawed  
at him until he unwound enough to offer an apology. "I'm  
sorry, I don't like the thought of being bed ridden and  
having others look out for me, is all." He told her ramrod  
straight back, "And I don't like the thought of leaving Emily  
to do a man's job anymore than I like the idea of leaving you  
here alone all day."  
  
Her back unbent a bit as she looked back over her  
shoulder at him and his breath caught. She really did look  
like a nymph with her golden hair falling in a cascade of  
burnished gold over her shoulders and covering her back. The  
flickering light of the fire lent her an aura, almost like a  
halo, around her head and he had to blink to get rid of the  
effect. "I've been here on my own ever since pa dropped me  
off here four or five years back. My last memory of him is  
of curing furs for trading later in the season. Not too many  
trappers out here anymore though, not with all of the fancy  
cities and everything shooting up. 'Course we get along just  
fine, me and Emily. I think pa was taken with her but he  
choose not to stay. I can't imagine why though, Miss Emily  
is a wonderful woman."  
  
Darien nodded, listening to her and waiting for a break  
in her rambling. Finally she stopped to draw breath and he  
jumped in with his question, "So just how old are you,  
Serena, if you've been up here with Emily for so long?"  
  
"Somewhere between nine and ten, I reckon," she said,  
grinning when he looked like he'd been punched in the gut.   
"I don't look very old do I?"  
  
"Not that old. I didn't figure you to be more than  
seven and that was stretching it."   
  
She laughed, reaching over to stir the pot hanging over  
the fire, "The way I talk probably shocked you then."  
  
"Well, just a little," he admitted, reaching up one hand  
to brush ebony locks off his forehead. He idly noticed he  
needed a hair cut, "So why did your pa drop you off here?"  
  
She looked away and into the fire, the flames casting  
her face into shadow but reflecting tears that pooled quickly  
in her eyes, "Ma died." She told him softly, her voice barely  
a tear laden whisper, "Pa couldn't handle the thought of  
looking after me with my looks. I guess I look exactly like  
her but I don't remember what she looked like. Emily says I  
could have been her little twin but," she brushed the tears  
from her eyes with the back of one hand and stood, going to  
the fire and not looking at him, "Pa didn't want to deal with  
me. Emily says he tried for almost two years but couldn't do  
it and ended up bringing me here." 


	3. Chapter 3 : At The Beginning

July 2000  
  
Ok, Disclaimers, I don't own these characters or the song,  
and I'm not making money off of this, unfortunetly. The song  
is from the "Anastasia" Soundtrack.   
  
The story however, does belong to me.   
  
  
  
  
*No one told me  
I was going to find you  
Unexpected  
What you did to my heart  
When I lost hope  
You were there to remind me  
This is the start*  
  
Darien sighed, leaning forward to wrap his arms around  
his knees as he looked at her back, "I'm sorry."  
  
"Why, it's not your fault," she turned back to him,  
something in hand, and then approached, offering him what  
looked to be a clay cup.  
  
He accepted it and raised it to his lips, blowing on the  
hot liquid carefully before taking a sip. Goose Broth.   
"This is good." He complimented her as she moved back to the  
fire to collect her own cup.  
  
"Emily has taught me a thing or two about depending on  
myself. She still won't let me go check the traps with her  
thought," Serena curled up in the rocking chair and, settling  
down with her legs tucked neatly away underneath her, began  
to sip and blow at the rim of the cup, "I guess she heard  
that my mother was killed by a sickness caught while checking  
the traps. Some day soon, though, I'll go with her just to  
learn everything I'll need to know to survive."  
  
Darien managed to cover a yawn with his cup as she  
talked. Her voice was slightly melodious, with a comforting  
lilt he hadn't noticed before. As annoying as she could be  
sometimes, he recognized now that she was fighting demons,  
even at her young age, he couldn't sympathize with.   
  
She sighed, her gaze on the flames in the pit, "You must  
be tired. Sleep. We have all winter to jaw about my past if  
you care to know."  
  
He nodded, watching her as his eyelids fluttered closed.   
His last conscious thought was a hope that some day he could  
quench the tears that slid silently down her cheeks.  
  
  
Gentle waves of grey hair mixed with silver streaks  
reflected the dying light of the fire when Darien opened his  
eyes next. "Emily?"  
  
The elderly woman knelt next to him and nodded, "Can I  
get you something?" she asked in a hushed tone.  
  
"No. Just need to use the um... facilities," he told  
her, feeling a rush of crimson creep up his neck.  
  
Emily smiled and offered him her arm. He looked at her  
doubtfully but she just smiled, snagged him around the back  
and helped him stand. His eyes widened as her strength made  
a mockery of her petite size. Standing he was nearly her  
size and he blushed as she helped him to the curtained off  
area to one side of the cabin. She helped him inside and  
then closed the curtain behind her.   
  
Inside the cubicle was a pot with a lid and a roll of  
some kind of white paper. He shook his head and did his  
business, feeling slightly light headed from being up and  
about. Finished, he pushed the curtain aside and leaned  
against the wall as Emily came back to his side and then  
helped him back to his palette. She then moved to the  
curtained area and removed the pot, taking it outside quickly  
and then returned and locked the door behind her. She  
replaced it and then came over to the fire to wash her hands  
in a small basin of heated water to one side. "Fell better?"  
she asked, her voice still low.  
  
He nodded, his face still red, "Much. Why are we  
whispering?"  
  
Emily nodded to the bed in the corner where blonde hair  
was barely visibly spilling through the side of the blankets,  
the small lump in the middle of the furs barely  
distinguishable from the rest of bunched furs. "Serena's  
sleeping and it's late. You and I should be in bed."  
  
He sighed, "Why did her pa drop her here with you,  
Emily?" he asked straight out.   
  
Emily looked taken aback but smiled, reaching over to  
brush slightly damp finger over his forehead, "Some day, I  
will answer your question, Darien. For now you must sleep.  
Heal. Soon I will need your help walking the trap line for I  
am getting old and a young strong back would be helpful."  
  
He nodded, reclining back against the furs as he slid  
one hand, the unbroken one, under his head and stared at the  
ceiling. Emily banked the fire and quickly walked over to  
the bed. Darien adverted his eyes and retreated inward with  
his thoughts as she changed for bed. He sighed. These  
women, all alone in the mountains, were a mystery, almost as  
much as his own past was to him now. He sighed again and  
curled up on his side, facing the fireplace. He would need  
to regain his strength starting tomorrow if he ever intended  
to find out what it was they were doing up here and earn a  
place among them. 


	4. Chapter 4 : At The Beginning

July 2000  
  
Ok, Disclaimers, I don't own these characters or the song,  
and I'm not making money off of this, unfortunetly. The song  
is from the "Anastasia" Soundtrack.   
  
The story however, does belong to me.   
  
  
  
Darien brushed her hands away as he forced himself to  
stand on his own. His ribs ached terribly and his injured  
leg felt like it was going to give out but he managed to  
stand on his own. His hand, bandaged and held at his side,  
felt numb and achy but he did his best to ignore it and the  
hurt look that flashed across Serena's face at his rough  
dismissal to her silent offer of help.  
  
He watched her flounce her way to the other side of the  
cabin and stuff her arms into a wolf skin jacket. He  
narrowed his eyes as she turned her back on him and then  
departed the cabin. It was daytime and for the first time in  
three weeks he didn't feel weak. He carefully made his way  
to the one window at the front of the cabin, white lines of  
pain bracketing his mouth. Outside the snow glittered like  
satin and a small pond down an incline and off to the right  
sparkled with reflected sunlight. Serena was draped in grey  
wolf fur, her buckskin leggings looking two sizes too big.   
He figured she'd grow into them, but he moved his eyes from  
her, the little forlorn figure descending to the pond not  
holding his interest beyond seeing that she had indeed left  
him completely alone for the first time since his arrival.   
  
It hadn't snowed, miraculously, since the night he'd  
stumbled into the clearing around the camp and he could see a  
faint trail of blood leading off in one direction, a larger  
red stain was off to the left of the door, near the woodpile.   
He could see the stumbling path he'd taken and was just a  
little uneasy to see that if he'd been any further to the  
side he'd have missed stumbling on the cabin entirely. He  
sighed, leaning his forehead against the clear windowpane and  
braced himself.   
  
He closed his eyes briefly, but flashes of crawling  
through snowdrifts, chilling and piercing pain along with  
unbearable cold lanced through him and he shivered, leaning  
against the wall as his eyes flew open. He wrapped his arms  
around his waist, feeling cold and clammy even to his own  
hands. He ran gentle fingers over the bandage around his  
chest and sighed. Other than crawling through snowdrifts he  
couldn't remember anything. Everything before that was  
blank. He sighed and pushed away from the window, making his  
way slowly over to nest of furs that was his bed. He sank  
down and looked at himself critically. He'd lost weight,  
both in fat and muscle, the last few weeks. His lips thinned.   
It was high past time he did his share of the work around the  
cabin.   
  
He grasped the edge of his torn shirt but couldn't bring  
himself to slide it over his head. One sleeve was in shreds,  
looking more like fringe than a sleeve. The body of the  
shirt had dark splotches where Emily and Serena had been  
unable to get the blood stains completely out. He sighed and  
pulled one of the furs up around his shoulders, mindful of  
using his broken hand. It was tender and sore and still  
wrapped in the makeshift bandage so he couldn't move it but  
there were some things a person could do in a cabin as small  
as this with just one hand.  
  
His hand went, as if in reflex, to the middle of his  
chest and he suddenly felt, for some inexplicable reason, the  
weight of a great loss. His good fingers searched up towards  
his neck and he sighed, consciously stopping them. From the  
motion he guessed he must have been wearing something awful  
important. His brow furrowed and he shook his head. His  
memory was gone. He probably wouldn't even recognize  
whatever it was he'd been wearing if he saw it again. Darien  
pushed himself up and out of his furs, grasping one around  
his shoulders, and began to clean up his little area.   
  
The door closed behind him but he refused to turn, to  
acknowledge the one cabin mate who seemed to have the  
capacity to get on his nerves. He shook out his furs  
clumsily and then rearranged them, folding them as best he  
could before walking carefully over to the fireplace and  
adding another log to the fire.  
  
"You don't have to do that," came the childish voice  
from behind him, "Emily or-"  
  
"I can do it myself," he snapped, not turning to look at  
her as he cut her off. "Emily has done a lot for me already,  
this is the least I can do. It's long since past time I  
should have been up and about helping out."  
  
"But, Emily said with your head wound-"  
  
"Think for yourself once, Serena," he spat, turning on  
her, "I am perfectly capable of helping with supper or the  
chores around the cabin with one hand. I'm not crippled as  
you seem to think. Just back off and leave me alone."  
  
She caught her lower lip between her teeth as it  
trembled and then whirled on her foot and ran to the door;  
throwing it open and slamming it shut behind her. Darien  
caught the glimmer of tears in her eyes and swore softly. He  
didn't know where the words came from, Emily never spoke like  
that, but it fit his mood. He hadn't meant to make her cry,  
as aggravating as she was.He turned back to the fire and  
lifted the pot easily over the coals and onto the metal ring  
set there for just that purpose. He left it and then turned  
away and ran a critical eye over the room.   
  
Everything, save for a few furs and clothes near Serena  
and Emily's bunk, were in place. He walked over to the  
rocking chair, eying a small shelf he hadn't seen before in  
the corner of the room. It was lined with books. He sighed  
and sat in the rocking chair, his head feeling a little light  
from being up and around too much all at once. Maybe, just  
maybe tomorrow he'd be better. He curled up and set his head  
on his knees, closing his eyes. His last thought before he  
fell asleep was of cerulean blue eyes glittering with unshed  
tears. 


	5. Chapter 5 : At The Beginning

July 2000  
  
Ok, Disclaimers, I don't own these characters or the song,  
and I'm not making money off of this, unfortunetly. The song  
is from the "Anastasia" Soundtrack.   
  
The story however, does belong to me.   
  
  
  
  
Summer came to the small mountain cabin over torturous  
months of winter and spring. Outside the world was green,  
showing its colors long thought lost in flowing trees and  
flowers. Rabbits and deer flourished along with bears. In  
the small clearing holding the cabin, the pond was calm, the  
occasional fish and beaver showing itself before disappearing  
below the surface again. Any animals that frequented the  
cabin site, were well away this day. The noise from inside  
was almost unbearable. "Out!" snapped a sharp voice  
suddenly, "Both of you."  
  
The front door opened and two figures spilled into the  
clearing. One was petite, tiny and blonde, the other had a  
mop of black hair that curled over the back of a buckskin  
shirt and fell just below his shoulders. They bolted from  
the cabin as an elderly woman appeared brandishing a broom.   
"And neither of you come back until you learn to get along! I  
will have no more bickering in my cabin!" she shut the door  
with a bang, the locking bar on the inside slamming into  
place.  
  
The petite angel with the mop of blonde hair spun on the  
boy, "Thanks a lot Darien," she spat, her hands fisted on her  
hips. She'd turned eleven a week ago, according to Emily,  
but her stature hadn't changed yet. She was barely came up  
to his chest but the fire in her eyes was real, "We could be  
eating lunch but no, you had to go make a big deal about me  
not doing my part for one lousy day! This from the boy who  
came to us bleeding and broken during the winter and sat  
around for two weeks while we did everything for him!"  
  
"You're able bodied, I wasn't," he retorted, "All I said  
was that you could help with the dishes, considering Emily  
and I had made lunch."  
  
"Emily didn't need your help! She's quite capable of  
taking care of herself and making lunch for all of us!"  
  
"Well if some little blonde brat would give a hand  
around the cabin once in a while, Emily could have a day off  
for once!"  
  
"A day off from what? Life? Emily wouldn't know how to  
take a day off, except you always do all of her chores,  
unless she beats you too them! Just for one day I wanted to  
take it easy and read, we go into town tomorrow and you  
couldn't just let me relax for one day after spending my  
winter looking after you!"  
  
Darien clenched his jaw, "Emily took care of things more  
than you ever did, she deserves some time to take it easy!   
Besides, she's an old lady who should be taking it easy, not  
trapping out here in the wilderness!"  
  
"You think she would do something else if she knew how?   
Shows what you know, she's been in this cabin for fifty years  
taking care of herself, she doesn't need you to be doing her  
chores for her!"  
  
Darien took a step towards her but she didn't back down,  
even though he was bigger than she was, "You listen to this  
and you get it good, Darien, Emily took you in by choice  
because you were hurt, not because she needed someone to do  
everything for her. If Emily wants or needs help she's the  
type of lady who knows how to ask for it. She's just too  
sweet to say anything when you try to smother her!"  
  
"If I wanted to smother her she wouldn't be leaving the  
cabin at all, and I am not trying to do all of her chores,  
I'm just trying to help out!"  
  
"By cutting the wood,"   
  
"Which should be my job in the first place. That stuff  
is getting too heavy for someone her age to carry around."  
  
"Alright, I'll concede that one, but making lunch for  
her so she can sit and knit? Checking the trap lines so she  
can stay inside and be warm when you know she loves it  
outside? Fetching the water when you know she likes to go  
down to the lake and watch the ducks? Shaking out the  
blankets on her day? Carrying the furs and packing her bag?   
Darien, she is not an invalid, she's a woman with a lot of  
pride and by doing her share of the work you're not leaving  
her that! Be considerate for a change and mind someone  
else's pride. Grow up!" She turned on her heel sharply and  
stalked away to the lake to sit on a fallen log, her braided  
hair curled around her head and still falling to her waist as  
it sparkled in the sunlight.  
  
He sighed, his anger leaving him as he looked back at  
the cabin. The worst part of it all was that he knew the  
pint-sized twerp was right. He shook his head and ran his  
fingers through his hair, feeling the long strands and then  
shook his head, heading back towards the cabin. Emily was  
standing in the window, a sad expression on her face when he  
turned but she quickly masked it as he approached. He  
knocked on the door, "Emily? May I talk to you?"  
  
"Have you made your peace yet?" her muffled voice asked  
through the door.  
  
"You know we haven't, but I owe you an apology,"  
  
The lock undid and the door was pulled open, but Emily  
exited the cabin and stood in the doorway instead of inviting  
him inside. She motioned to the logs to the side of the door  
and he sat, shifting over so that she could join him. They  
sat in silence for a few minutes, watching as Serena rose  
from her spot on the log and went down next to the pond,  
bending down every now and again to collect rocks and skip  
them across the surface.   
  
"I didn't realize until today exactly what I've been  
doing," he began, twisting the fringe on the cuffs of his  
shirt in his hands, "but a certain yellow haired twer- er..."  
he blushed and amended quickly, "blonde angel, pointed out to  
me that I've probably been causing more harm than good by  
doing more than my share of the chores." He looked at Emily  
and took her strong, weathered hands in his own and smiled at  
her, "I'm sorry if anything I've done has been harmful,  
Emily, I really am. I just didn't know any other way to  
thank you for taking care of me this winter."  
  
She pulled one of her hands free and gently raised it to  
cup his cheek, "Darien, darling, you remind me of my  
grandson. Or what he would have been like if he had lived  
past his eight birthday. I know your intentions were good  
and that's why I've tolerated them. Serena is right though.   
If you want to come back with us this winter things are going  
to have to change. No more of this 'I owe you' stuff. Here  
in the mountains we'd do the same for anyone that fell at our  
door as you did. If it was me, you'd help me out the same as  
I did you. It's the unspoken code of the mountains."  
  
He sighed, "I don't remember anything besides collapsing  
at the cabin," he admitted, "Even the code seems familiar but  
I don't remember it all. I know I've been acting badly  
lately with Serena and you, but I'd really like to come back  
with you next winter if you'll let me."  
  
She smiled and nodded, patting his cheek. "Make your  
decision after we've been to town. Come, it's better if you  
speak to Serena and make your peace with her before we leave  
tomorrow. Otherwise I'll make you both sleep outside  
tonight."  
  
Darien nodded, leaned forward to kiss her cheek and then  
stood. "Thank you, Emily," He told her sincerely.  
  
"Your welcome, Darien, dear. Now shoo, you have to make  
peace with her before she decides to get it into her head to  
disappear into the mountains for the night!"  
  
He nodded and turned away, making his way swiftly down  
to the lake.  
  
Serena sat on another log, just out of view of the  
cabin, tossing pebbles into the water. "Serena?"  
  
She turned her face away, refusing to look at him, the  
stubborn tilt of her chin warning him that she was in no mood  
for talk.  
  
He sighed, "I don't blame you for not wanting to talk to  
me, I've been nothing but a heel all winter." Her head  
whipped around, her mouth falling open in surprise at his  
admission and he took a small measure of pride in being able  
to leave her speechless, "I just wanted to say I'm sorry for  
treating you so badly. I was kind of hoping that it would be  
alright with you if I come back with you ladies when we're  
finished in town for the next winter."  
  
She sighed, turning her face away from him and closing  
her mouth with a snap. "I'd rather you didn't." she  
admitted, "Emily and I were just fine without you, and you  
made my winter miserable."  
  
"But exciting," he put in, trying to coax a smile out of  
her.  
  
One corner of her mouth kicked up slightly but she  
didn't smile, "Exciting in a bad way. Next winter I'd rather  
it just be me and Emily again but it's her decision."  
  
Darien shook his head, "No it's not. You have a say in  
this too. Much as I hate to admit it, I don't like to stay  
where I'm obviously not wanted."  
  
"If you have nowhere else to go, Darien, I'll try and  
understand but I'd rather you didn't come back with us."  
  
He nodded and grasped her small shoulders in his hands,  
turning her towards him, "I won't come back next year Serena,  
but I owe Emily and you too, much as I don't want to admit  
that part. I'll be coming back eventually."  
  
She made a face and then smiled at him, "Well, just be  
sure you learn some manners wherever you go."   
  
He bowed to her and then offered her his arm, "Of  
course, madam,"  
  
She giggled, slapping a hand over her mouth when she  
took in the picture he made. "You look funny."  
  
He grabbed her by the waist and helped her off the log,  
"Only for you. Come on, Emily must think we've killed each  
other by now."  
  
She skipped ahead of him and Darien found himself  
thinking of how much he was going to miss both of them when  
it came time to leave.  
  
  
  
  
Serena looked down at Darien from on top of the horse  
where she sat. Emily was next to her, on another horse, the  
two creatures almost an identical uniform brown, save for a  
black star on one's forehead and a white sock on the other's  
foot. She leaned forward on the horn and looked at him. His  
hands were stroking the neck of her horse rhythmically,  
keeping it calm while he stood at its head. "Ride safe," he  
told them, his package of belongings sitting at his feet.  
  
"Are you sure you won't come back with us, Darien?"  
Emily asked again, for the seventh or eight time in the last  
half hour.  
  
He nodded, "I need to find out who I am, Emily. I need  
to know what I was doing in those mountains so close to your  
cabin so I'm going to go explore. I'm going to winter here  
in town though and learn some of their fancy trades. We'll  
see you next summer, alright?"  
  
She sighed, leaning over to squeeze his shoulder, "You  
take care of yourself, ya here? And we'll see you next  
summer when we come back down for supplies."  
  
He nodded, "Take care, ladies. May the winter prove to  
be as good this year as it was this past season."  
  
Emily smiled at him once more before moving her horse  
away from him. Serena made to follow but he continued to  
stroke her horse's neck, "I will see you in a few winters  
Serena, and I intend to keep my promise and pay both of you  
back."  
  
She looked at him, "You already have, Darien," she told  
him softly. "Goodbye." She nudged her mouth forward and he  
was forced to step away or be stepped on and she quickly  
kneed the animal away and after Emily. He watched them go  
until they disappeared into the mountain trails, away from  
view. He scooped up his bag, and without a backwards glance,  
headed back into town to see if he could find a trade. 


	6. Chapter 6 : At The Beginning

July 2000  
  
Ok, Disclaimers, I don't own these characters or the song,  
and I'm not making money off of this, unfortunetly. The song  
is from the "Anastasia" Soundtrack.   
  
The story however, does belong to me.   
  
  
  
  
*Life is a road   
And I wanna keep going   
Love is a river   
I wanna keep flowing  
Life is the road  
Now and Forever  
Wonderful journey.*  
  
Six seasons passed as Darien worked his way out of the  
small town and down into the cities. Diligently, he learned  
the art of the blacksmith and worked his way up. In six  
short years he managed to scrimp and save enough for his own  
horse, a small rented room and three meals a day. On top of  
it, he had nice new clothes and managed to put enough in the  
bank to start himself off someplace new if he chose too.   
Through the tough years he never forgot the golden haired  
pixie and he found himself wondering what kind of a woman  
she'd grown into, out there in the mountains. Emily came to  
mind too, though not as often, and at the start of the summer  
season that year he quit his job and headed back to the small  
town where he'd last seen them all those years ago...   
  
Darien reined his stallion to a halt just outside the  
post. A lot had changed in six years. The Mounties had come  
and built walls to the trading post, for all of the fur  
trappers in this area, to turn away the infrequent, but  
devastating Indian raids. He smiled, leaning forward on his  
stallion, wondering if Emily and Serena were trapping in the  
mountains still or if they'd maybe moved into one of the  
post's small huts. He nodded to the Mounties who stood guard  
at the gate as he rode through and took his first look  
around. He'd been through a lot in the last six years and he  
was a lot stronger than the last time he'd been through here.   
The fort was solidly built, the walls reinforced, the  
surrounding walls of the fort itself braced in many places  
and without cracks. He nodded, swinging down from the saddle  
with a creak of leather as he looked around and then looped  
the reigns over the hitching post. He scratched the neck of  
the animal and then let it drink as he went inside.  
  
The gentleman inside was setting up shop for the day and  
Darien recognized the old coot as the same man who'd been the  
main fur trader all those years back. "Maverick, you old  
boot, how's it going?" he asked, coming up to the desk. This  
was also the man who'd got him started in the blacksmith  
trade after learning furs about five years back.  
  
Maverick, or Silent Sam as he was known in the  
mountains, turned and offered him a toothless grin, "Darien,  
boyo, why, I'd recognize ya anywhere! How ya been son?"  
  
Darien clasped hands with him smiling, "Doing good, Sam.   
You been here all this time?"  
  
"Uh huh. I always said a person should do what they  
know best."  
  
Darien chuckled. Mick dropped most of his g's in his  
speech but he had an easy enough time figuring the speech  
out. He'd grown up around it after all, right here in this  
post. "You know if Emily and Serena still come and do their  
trading at the post here?" he asked, "I've got a debt to  
repay and I think it's high and mighty time I paid it."  
  
Maverick grinned impossibly wider, "Oh, boyo, you're  
goin' ta have your hands full, yes sirre! Them's both  
lookers now. The little one sure did blossom right purty."   
Darien raised an eyebrow as Maverick continued, "They're due  
in here any day now, ya plannin' on stickin' around and  
sayin' hello?"  
  
Darien nodded, "Sure, I might as well. All of the  
traders are here already, I might as well see what I can  
trade while I'm here."  
  
"See ya around, boyo. Watch out for them ladies, when  
they show up, they cause quite th' stir."  
  
"If Serena is anything like she was when she was little,  
Sam, that doesn't surprise me. Take care, I'll talk to you  
later." He ducked out of the building and collected his  
horse. "Come on, boy, let's go find us a place to camp." He  
led the dappled grey stallion away from the post, taking his  
time to browse between the wigwams and other little tents  
where the wares were being laid out for the day of trading  
and selling. He found himself a small clearing near a back  
corner of the fort and set up camp. It was right next to a  
small pond and afforded him drinking water and a place to  
bathe. After his long trip nothing sounded better than a  
bath. Quickly he collected his soap and a fresh set of  
clothes and headed to the pond to bathe.  
  
  
Serena looked at the fort, sighing heavily. She turned  
to the elderly woman who was seated on a white mare, "Emily,  
I swear, this is the last time you make this trek. Next year  
I'll come bargain for the price on the furs myself."  
  
Emily shook her head, smiling at the young woman.   
"Serena, you know better than to try that with me. You are  
much too beautiful to be wandering about this trading post  
alone. With the coming of the Mounties it's gotten better,  
but you know a lot of the men would take advantage of you if  
you were by yourself."  
  
Serena tossed her head proudly, flinging the braid that  
was wound four times around her head and hung to her waist,  
over her shoulder. "Let them try, after doing most of the  
trapping this winter, I'm stronger than I look."  
  
"You're also a woman dear." Emily said patiently, "And  
living with me has given you now idea on how to deal with  
men, I'm afraid."  
  
"I had to deal with that boy that one winter, that was  
enough for me, thank you very much." Serena retorted sharply.   
She didn't like discussing Darien with Emily, but secretly  
she'd hoped to see him every time for the past six years.   
Emily said she had just turned seventeen a few short weeks  
ago, and in any world she was a woman. That still didn't  
stop her from wanting to see the black haired boy who loved  
to do nothing more than snap at her. Though why she wanted  
to see him she couldn't be sure, but if she ever saw him  
again she was going to drag him over the coals for not  
keeping his promise five years earlier. She never had  
understood why it had hurt so much when he never appeared  
that summer to say hello.  
  
"Darien wasn't a man at the time, he was a boy starting  
to turn into one. That in no way equipped you to deal with  
the male of our species." Emily kicked her horse into a  
trot, leading a pack horse by the lead rope as she approached  
the fort, hailing the Mountie as she and Serena passed  
through the gates, frowning at him when his eyes followed  
Serena's straight back.  
  
Emily looked at her charge and smiled sadly. She truly  
was a beautiful woman and she would always attract attention,  
her hair ensured that, but she was growing up with a posture  
and poise that stole Emily's breath whenever she looked at  
her. Serena was looking more and more like her mother and  
every day she feared her father would come back to claim her.   
She had classic good looks, those of a model, and the  
physical labour she did all winter kept her trim and fit, not  
an ounce of fat on her bones. She made her own clothes now,  
and the buckskin shirt and leggings emphasized her curves but  
hid them enough to keep men wondering. Emily was sure Serena  
hadn't meant it to do so, but she'd inadvertently made  
clothes that were designed to draw attention.  
  
They dismounted near the front of the fort, in their  
usual spot and set up camp. Serena went through the motions  
quickly and efficiently, taking the task of Emily's hands.   
Truthfully, she was grateful for the assistance. The past  
two years had been harder on her and she let Serena take up  
more and more of the duties when it came to trapping and  
tanning the hides. She swung down off her horse as Serena  
was kneeling to start a campfire and stretched her back,  
hearing the bones creak and crack under the tension.   
  
"Would you like me to go scout the tents to see who's  
trading what this year?"   
  
Emily shook her head, "Let's get the furs unpacked and  
everything unloaded first. Then we'll both go check out the  
tents."  
  
Eagerly, Serena helped Emily unpack the pack horse and  
set up their tents. 


	7. Chapter 7 : At The Beginning

July 2000  
  
Ok, Disclaimers, I don't own these characters or the song,  
and I'm not making money off of this, unfortunetly. The song  
is from the "Anastasia" Soundtrack.   
  
The story however, does belong to me.   
  
  
  
Darien was frying some venison in a pan when the ruckus  
near one of the booze tents drew his attention. He frowned  
and stood, placing the pan on a rock to the side and stood as  
he looked through the nest of trees he'd chosen to camp in.   
A slash of yellow drew his attention and he made his way  
towards the tent. It sounded like a fight from where he was  
but as he approached, he realized it was more of a lesson.  
  
"Come on missy, yer here ever' year with yer missus,  
surely ye've seen the way we men look at ya. Of course ye  
have, otherwise ye wouldn't be wearing them clothes. Don't  
you want a big strong man in yer life?" demanded one liquor  
slurred voice.  
  
"Not one that smells of liquor and treats his women  
worse than dogs," came back the snappy retort, the voice  
holding something of a light lilt even when raised in anger,  
"Get your hands off me, sir, or I will remove them for you."  
  
Darien pushed his way to the front of the jeering crowd  
and stopped, stunned. A young woman, no taller than five  
foot three, if that, was glaring ice from blue eyes the color  
of a mountain's stream. Her honey colored hair hung to her  
waist even after most of it was piled on her head. She was  
slim, trim and muscular, as the form fitting buckskins  
showed. He bit back a curse, seeing the man who held her.   
He remembered having to step between her and this very same  
man six years back when the man, named Mad Marlow or  
something like that, had offered to buy Serena from Emily.  
  
"Let her go, Marlow," he told the man, who was half  
dressed and holding a jug of rotgut whiskey.  
  
Serena's eyes narrowed with fury at the intrusion, the  
deep unfamiliar voice cutting through the jeering and leaving  
the crowd oddly silent. "Stay out of this stranger, this man  
has had this coming to him for a long time. I've put up with  
his innuendoes as long as I intend to."  
  
"Oh, I agree Marlow has had it coming, darlin', but I'm  
hardly a stranger."  
  
Serena didn't dare take her eyes off Marlow, whose face  
was flushed with rage. She drew a wicked looking knife from  
her belt and pricked at one of his wrists in a fast movement.   
He howled and retracted his wrist, but didn't release her and  
she shrieked, as much from surprise as anger, as he threw her  
into the spectators. Strong arms caught her around he waist,  
stopping her fall as her knife clattered to the ground a few  
feet away. "Careful, little one, he is a lot bigger than  
you," commented the man who held her, the same that had  
spoken before, "Your temper hasn't changed after so long I  
see."  
  
She spun out of his arms and got her first real look at  
the stranger, her biting retort dying on her tongue as she  
took in his appearance. Black hair that fell in soft waves  
over his forehead, slightly damp, down to below his shoulders  
in the back caught her attention first. He was a good foot  
taller than she was, his chest powerful muscled beneath the  
tight fabric of his buckskin shirt, but he wasn't as big as  
he should have been. He was classically built, the epitome  
of tall dark and handsome, and it stole her breath to look at  
him. Awareness and recognition hit at once and she swayed on  
her feet. "Darien." she breathed.  
  
He nodded once, flashing her a smile that stole her  
breath, "Easy, Sere. Watch out!" he reached out for her with  
a lightning quick arm and pulling her back into his arms.   
Marlow swept by, headlong into a tree and a loud crack could  
be heard as he knocked himself senseless. Darien shook his  
head, releasing the golden haired vixen that was twisting in  
his arms to be free.   
  
"He's a jackass," commented Serena, shaking her head in  
disgust and smoothing out her garments.  
  
The crowd began to disperse as Darien threw his head  
back and laughed loud and long, "My my my... You haven't  
changed a bit, Serena."  
  
She crossed her arms over her chest as she regarded him,  
her eyes blazing.  
  
"Well, alright, maybe just a bit," he admitted, his eyes  
twinkling as they met hers, "But your temperament sure  
hasn't! Is Emily around?"  
  
"Why should I take you to her? You'll just leave again  
and break m-her heart."  
  
He raised an eyebrow, mimicking her stance, "How did I  
break her heart by leaving? She expected it, Serena, and so  
did you, though I had no intentions of hurting you when I  
left. I just did what you wantd me too."  
  
She adverted her gaze from his, "You didn't hurt me, I  
was glad you were gone," she snapped, "I just wish you'd  
stayed gone."  
  
"Lying now, Serena?" he asked softly, "It doesn't become  
you."  
  
Her gaze snapped to his and she snorted, "Hardly. Why'd  
you have to come back now, of all times. You should have  
just stayed under whatever rock you crawled under all those  
years back."  
  
"How can I keep a promise if I disappear?"  
  
"The same way you did six years ago," she snapped back  
angrily, blinking rapidly, trying to clear the moisture out  
of her eyes. "Just leave, Darien, we don't need you."  
  
Strong fingers grasped her chin and forced her to look  
into his eyes, "I'm sorry I hurt you, Serena, that was never  
my intention."  
  
"You didn't hurt me," she denied, jerking her face out  
of his hands and stalking away.  
  
Darien followed, matching her furious pace and casting a  
wary glance each way to make sure they would pass unmolested.   
Serena quickened her pace, trying to loose him but he matched  
his pace to hers, his longer legs keeping up with her easily.   
She finally spun on him, her eyes flashing fire, "Will you  
just go away, we don't need nor want you around!" 


	8. Chapter 8 : At The Beginning

July 2000  
  
Ok, Disclaimers, I don't own these characters or the song,  
and I'm not making money off of this, unfortunetly. The song  
is from the "Anastasia" Soundtrack.   
  
The story however, does belong to me.   
  
  
  
  
*I'll be there   
When the world stops Turning  
I'll be there  
When the storm is through  
In the end I wanna be standing  
At the beginning with you*  
  
"What if I don't want to go away, what will you do?"  
  
"I'll make you want to leave, like I made you leave 6  
years ago."  
  
"You didn't make me leve, you asked me to leave because  
you didn't want me around, because you couldn't handle me.   
I've got news for you, darlin', I'm not going anywhere this  
time because you want me to go. I'm going to repay a debt I  
owe both you and that marvelous woman who took me in and  
nursed me back to health after whatever it was got a hold of  
me."  
  
Serena muttered a nasty curse under her breath, drawing  
a chuckle from him, "Alright, fine, Emily and I are camped  
over here. But, if you even try and do more than you're  
asked to do I'll take my skinning knife and skin you while  
you're sleeping!"  
  
Darien shook his head as she stalked off, reluctanlty  
leading him back towards their campsite. Darien's gaze  
followed the soft sway of her hips for the first few feet  
before he caught himself and shifted his gaze ahead of her,  
his blue eyes scanning ahead. A smile split his face as the  
elderly woman he remembered came into view.   
  
Emily looked up, her grey-blue eyes falling on her  
charge and then on Darien. She straightened unconsciouly,  
"It cannot be," she said, smiling as she rose to her feet.   
"My my, Darien, is it really you after all these years, my  
boy?" she asked, stratching her arms out to him.  
  
Darien smiled back and enfolded the older woman in a  
firm hug, "Yes Emily. It's good to see you."  
  
"Likewise, young man. Come come, let me look at you."  
she pulled back, holding him at arm's length, the lines  
around her eyes crinkling as she looked over his shoulder at  
a sullen Serena. "You have certainly filled out since we  
last saw you. You have obviously seen Serena. Hasn't she  
become a beauty?"  
  
Darien looked over his shoulder at the young woman  
before looking back at Emily, "Certainly hasn't lost that  
temper of hers. She has indeed grown up into an eye catching  
young woman. You, Emily, have become even more beautiful  
than when I last saw you as well. The mountain life agrees  
with both of you it would seem."  
  
Emily laughed merrily, the years seeming to fall away  
from her as she smiled up at him, "Still the charmer, when  
you want to be. Come come, you must join our camp. Will you  
be coming back to the cabin with us this winter?"  
  
"From the sound of it, I doubt I'm still welcome," he  
nodded his head towards Serena, "I've been told in no  
uncertain terms that if I do more than my fair share someone  
is going to take my skin for a trophy."  
  
"Not a trophy, Darien, just a blanket," Serena piped up,  
putting a huge pot over the fire.  
  
Emily cackled with laughter, "She likes you, she only  
threatens people she likes."  
  
"And that is supposed to reassure me? I saw her pull a  
knife on Marlow and-"  
  
Emily's face hardened as she cut him off, "Is Marlow up  
to his old tricks again?" she stepped past him and he caught  
her arm, holding her easily.  
  
"Easy, Emily, Marlow knocked himself senseless on a  
tree, he'll be out cold for a while yet. You can tear strips  
off him after he comes too... and after we've done most of  
your trading. From what I remember of Marlow he's going to  
take most of the coming winter to get over the indignity of  
being bested by a meer slip of a girl."  
  
Emily grimaced, "You are right of course. Comes, sit by  
the fire. I am, of course, going to insist you camp with us  
from here on out. Will you be coming back to the cabin with  
us this winter?"  
  
Darien smiled, "If it's not too much trouble, I'd like  
that."  
  
"Then it's settled, once we're finished trading here,  
we'll head back up to the cabin and you can come with us.   
With the three of us working the traps, I'm certain we'll be  
able to bring in a huge amount of skins."  
  
Serena looked at Emily's smiling face, "I don't get a  
say if he comes or not?"  
  
Emily smiled, "With the way you've been moping about  
each winter since he left us, I'm going to insist he comes."  
  
Serena felt her face flush and spun away, stalking off  
to the other side of the camp.  
  
It was a less than promising beginning, Darien found  
himself thinking, but a beginning none the less. 


	9. Chapter 9 : At The Beginning

July 2000  
  
Ok, Disclaimers, I don't own these characters or the song,  
and I'm not making money off of this, unfortunetly. The song  
is from the "Anastasia" Soundtrack.   
  
The story however, does belong to me.   
  
  
  
  
*We were strangers  
On a crazy adventure  
Never dreaming  
How our dreams would come true  
Now here we stand  
Unafraid of the future  
At the beginning with you.*  
  
Darien pulled his horse up short as the cabin came into  
view and a smile split his face. He felt like he was coming  
home, something he's never felt in all his years away. "It  
looks just the same as it did the first time I saw it," he  
marveled, looking about the clearing and down towards the  
lake.  
  
"What, you didn't think Emily and I could manage the  
place on our own?" Serena asked scornfully. On their trek  
back to the cabin at the end of the summer, Serena's attitude  
towards him had become increasingly hostile, as if she  
resented his prescense. Or just didn't know how to deal with  
it.  
  
"Oh, it's not that, I just thought my memories were  
twisted, that's all," Darien told her plesanty. He'd taken  
to difusing her attempts t get on his nerves by either  
compliments or just being friendly. From what he could tell,  
she was getting more confused by his actions and seemed to be  
having to retreat more and more to try and understand him.   
He found it amusing, to say the least.   
  
Emily kicked her horse into a trot, the animal needing  
next to no prodding to continue towards its winter haven. It  
stopped at the gate entrance to the corral and Emily swung  
down, "I hope you two youngins aren't going to be arguing and  
sniping at each other all winter. If I have too I'll lock  
you both outside until you settle your differences, I won't  
have either of you bickering and making my home miserable, is  
that very clear?"  
  
"As crystal, Emily," Darien agree. He looked at Serena,  
"I'm willing to call a truce if you are."  
  
Serena nodded, but avoided looking at him as she kneed  
her horse forward and into the corral. She dismounted easily  
and quickly went about pulling her packs off the animal.   
They must have weighed easily half her small weight but she  
didn't buckle under their weight and Darien couldn't help but  
marvel at how mountain living had made her stronger than any  
city female he's encountered. It was a very stimulating  
thought. What else could she do, and did she do, that he  
hadn't thought about?  
  
"Are you coming?"  
  
He jolted as she looked at him, the packs slung across  
her shoulders, more supplies in her arms. He followed their  
lead and led his mount into the corral before dismounting and  
pulling off the gear packed on his horse. He waited until  
both women entered the cabin before entering himself. He  
paused in the doorway and looked around the small cabin,  
"It's smaller than I remember."  
  
"You were a lot smaller, Darien," Emily motioned for him  
to put the supplies he was carrying on one of the bunks to  
the left. He noted that there were now two, one above the  
lower one and he assumed that Serena slept there.   
  
He dropped the supplies he was carrying on the bottom  
bunk, "Well, it's good to be home,"  
  
"This isn't your home," Serena told him sharply.  
  
He looked at her and then to Emily, who was frowning,  
and motioned to the door, "Shall we settle this outside  
before Emily kicks us both out?"  
  
Serena glanced at the woman who had raised her and  
sighed, exiting the cabin and stalking over to the horses,  
pausing to grab the curry brush. Darien followed her and  
Emily closed the door behind them both, the locking bar  
thumping into place.  
  
Darien grabbed a curry brush from their bucket and moved  
to the corral to brush his own horse down. Serena was  
already brushing hers with swift, angry movements. "Why do  
you hate me so much?"  
  
She didn't spare him a glance, her lips thined and  
colorless, "I don't hate you."  
  
"Then why do you insist on trying to provoke me?"  
  
She remained silent, refusing to answer the question.   
Darien sighed, "Serena, I don't want this to be the way we  
live through the winter. I'm willing to be amiable if you  
can put asside your prejudices and do the same."  
  
"Amiable?"  
  
"Civil," he amended.  
  
"Oh." She looked at him then, "Why didn't you come back  
the year after you left?"  
  
"I was working, trying to find out who I was."  
  
"Did you ever?"  
  
"No. I don't even remember my real name and all I have  
is a sensation that something I should have is missing.   
Something important. I never could put the pieces, of what  
happened before I stumbled on you and Emily, together."  
  
Serena was quiet as she continued to brush down her  
horse. She finally stoppped and looked at him, gently  
stroking the forehead of her horse, "I missed you that  
winter," she admitted, "I was glad you were gone, but Emily  
was right. I just didn't want to admit it. I'm not too sure  
about having you back now though. I thought you would come  
back after a season of being away, when you didn't, I felt  
betrayed."  
  
"Why?" He looked at her over the back of his horse as he  
continued to brush the animal down.  
  
Serena shrugged, "My childish notions I guess. You said  
you'd come back and see us the next time we came to the post.   
When you didn't, I thought you were either dead or hated me  
so much you didn't want to come back. The last five seasons  
have been hard, Emily is getting older and I can't work the  
lines on my own and make quota for supplies come the summer."  
  
"I'm sorry I didn't come back. I wanted too, but I  
couldn't get away from my employer. Can you forgive me for  
not coming back?"  
  
"I don't know, I'm still hurt you didn't keep your  
promise. Will you stay for the whole winter?"  
  
He nodded, "This is where my journey started, this is  
where I'll have to search for my clues, even if they are six  
years old."  
  
Serena looked away from him, "I need some time to accept  
that, to see if you're going to stick through it this time,  
Darien. I'm sorry, but until you prove you're not going to  
abbandon me... us, I can't forgive you."  
  
Darien nodded and took the halter off his horse,  
"Alright. When you can answer either way, come and find me,  
I'll be around."  
  
Serena left the corral and made her way down to the  
lake. She stood at the edge, a silent, lonely figure in the  
setting sun. 


	10. Chapter 10 : At The Beginning

July 2000  
  
Ok, Disclaimers, I don't own these characters or the song,  
and I'm not making money off of this, unfortunetly. The song  
is from the "Anastasia" Soundtrack.   
  
The story however, does belong to me.   
  
  
  
  
*I knew there was somebody somewhere  
Like me alone in the dark  
Now I know my dream will live on  
I've been waiting so long  
Nothing's gonna tear us apart*  
  
Darien stacked the wood next to the cabin and wiped the  
sweat from his brow. The ladies were down at the lack  
checking the beaver traps while he spent most of his day  
chopping wood for the coming winter months. If they were  
anything like he remembered, you could never have enough  
wood. His hand twinged and spasmed, drawing a muffled oath  
from his lips. The bones had healed well enough but  
sometimes the muscles and tendons jerked without warning and  
caused him to drop things. Thankfully he'd already put the  
axe down.  
  
The sun was setting in the sky, the days seeming to be  
getting shorter thanks to their elevation and the season.   
Leaning his back against the cabin to rest, he took up the  
waterskin Emily had left him and took a long drink. The  
weather was nice enough that he'd removed his shirt long ago,  
glad that the ladies weren't around to see his scar ridden  
flesh. His body had never fully recovered from the night  
he'd stumbled upon them.  
  
Darien took a seat on a log and leaned his back against  
the wall of the cabin, his eyes scanning the area around the  
logs. Whatever it was that he felt was so important had to  
be somewhere in these hills, surely he wouldn't have just  
dropped something like that on purpose. He put his good hand  
to his forehead and rubbed, trying to remember something,  
anything, from before he'd come across these two women. He  
sighed in defeat a few minutes later and looked about him  
again.   
  
Emily and Serena were working their way up from the lake  
now, pulling a sled laden with furs and meat behind them. He  
grinned, shaking his head in admiration as Emily paused to  
check the rifle on her back and Serena continued to pull,  
almost as if she were unaware that the older woman had  
stopped helping.   
  
"Would you like a hand?" he called, standing and walking  
towards them.  
  
They raised their heads as he came, a smile lighting  
Emily's face, Serena's remaining impassive. "Of course, my  
boy, any help you care to give would be appreciated, these  
old bones just can't keep up with hers."  
  
Darien grinned coming over to take up Emily's harness.   
He kept his gaze on Serena as he took up half the slack and  
saw her breathe a sigh of relief. Tough little woman, that  
was for sure.  
  
"What happened to your chest, Dare?"  
  
He grimaced. He'd forgotten to put his shirt back on.   
"Scars from the night I ended up here, Emily. I've got a   
bunch more on my legs. Plus one blacksmith I worked for had  
a heavy hand with a lash when he saw something that wasn't up  
to quality. He never hit me after the first time though, I  
taught him not too."  
  
"Such adventures you've had my boy, are you sure you  
want to settle with us womenfolk?"  
  
Darien grinned as they parked the sled in front of the  
smoking hut, the curing shack a few feet from that. "I  
wouldn't be here if I didn't want to."  
  
Serena rolled her eyes, "And if you didn't have a load  
of guilt on your shoulders. Did you finish chopping the  
wood?"  
  
He crossed his arms over his chest, "Yes, ma'am.   
Anything else you'd like me to do?"  
  
Emily shook her head, "You two, acting just like you're  
married. Serena, get those pelts unloaded, Darien, you can  
help me get the smoking started."  
  
They went to work silently, Emily setting a pace Darien  
had trouble following. "You have a lot of practice with  
this," he accused when she finally let him take a break,  
sweat sliding down his chest and back.  
  
"Not bad for an old woman, is it, youngester?" she  
teased, "You finish up here, I'm going to go give Serena a  
hand. Ah ah ah," she shook a finger at him when he opened  
his mouth to protest, "you said you'd pitch in like everyone  
else, I'm just doing my part, now do yours."  
  
Darien smiled ruefully, "Yes ma'am." 


	11. Chapter 11 : At The Beginning

July 2000  
  
Ok, Disclaimers, I don't own these characters or the song,  
and I'm not making money off of this, unfortunetly. The song  
is from the "Anastasia" Soundtrack.   
  
The story however, does belong to me.   
  
  
  
  
A couple of nights later Darien was tending the horses  
while Serena was cooking stew over the fire.   
  
"It's nice to have him back," Emily commented from her  
rocking chair, her knitting needles in her hands.  
  
Serena refused to say a word, continuing to stir their  
dinner.  
  
"Nice to have an extra pair of hands to help out with  
the trapping, the wood cutting and the smoking. Are you  
going to give it to him?"  
  
Serena looked at the older woman, sighing as she replced  
the lid on the pot, "I don't know if I should. When I found  
it the spring he left I wanted to give it to him then, but he  
never would have come back."  
  
"You didn't want him to come back," the older woman  
pointed out, pointing one of her needles at her, "you should  
have given it to him then."  
  
Serena looked out the window towards the corral and  
jumped, "It's snowing, and Darien is still out there." she  
dashed for the door and grabbed her wolfskin jacket, slipping  
into it hurriedly. She grabbed his jacket from its peg and  
opened the door, the snow swirrling inside as the sound of  
the wind screamed across the opening.   
  
Emily was beside her suddenly, tying a rope around her  
waist, "I've got the other end, make sure he's alright."  
  
Serena nodded, barely making out the words over the  
storm's fury. She stepped outside, keeping her head sown and  
made her way towards the corral and the lean-to that  
sheltered the horses in bad weather. She head one of them  
scream and swallowed hard, knowing they were suffing as much  
as Darien had to be. "Darien!" she screamed, coming to the  
unlocked gate. She swung it open and stepped inside. She  
could barely make out a few feet in front of her, let alone  
the horses' stable. She placed her hand on the fence and  
walked along it, calling out Darien's name as she felt her  
way towards the shelter.  
  
"Serena?"  
  
She froze, hearing his voice from the center of the  
corral, "Darien? Where are you, keep talking, I'll find  
you!"  
  
"I'm in the center of the corral," his voice was strong  
but she could hear the effect the cold was having on him.   
His words were beginning to slur and slow, though stuttering  
hadn't started yet.   
  
She picked her path carefully, seeing large blurs in the  
corral through the white sheet surrounding her. Finally,  
after what seemed like an eternity she found a hand reaching  
out blindly and grasped it, feeling the icecold skin. She  
tugged and he stumbled towards her, all of his weight  
suddenly bowling into her. She staggered before finding her  
footing and staying on her feet. Barely. "Here's your  
coat," she yelled at him. She could just barely make out his  
face and his lips were blue. She grabbed one of his arms and  
shived his arm into it before making sure she still had his  
weight and doing the same with his other arm. She forced him  
back to his feet, ready to catch him if he fell again and  
quickly closed the garment.  
  
Darien staggered. He could barely feel his hands and  
feet, the familiar freezing sensation from all those years  
ago coming back again and he shivered violently inside his  
coat. His hand and legs ached, the old wounds pucking in the  
cold. He felt Serena's arm slide around his waist and  
support him. He marveled at her strength as she forced him  
to move with her. He couldn't see where they were going, but  
he trusted her. After a few minutes that seemed like forever  
they were standing at the door of the cabin as Emily opened  
it and stumbled, both of them, inside. Emily closed the door  
and bolted it before turning to them both.  
  
"Darien?"  
  
"Emily," he gasped, feeling the pins and needles already  
begining to start in his face. The warmth of the cabin  
washed over him as they helped him out of his coat and over  
to the spot in front of the fire. Emily covered him with his  
jacket as Serena removed hers and undid the rope around her  
waist.   
  
Serena busied herself with pulling their steaming dinner  
off the fire and replacing it with a pot of water. She added  
more wood to the fire and paused for only a couple of moments  
to warm her own fingers as Emily pried Darien's boots off and  
took a look at his toes, "Any longer out there and you would  
have lost most of these," she commented. "It's a good thing  
Serena found you."  
  
Darien met Serena's gaze, "Thank you."  
  
She shrugged it off, "Emily would have done it, but I  
saw the snow first. These walls are pretty thick otherwise  
we would have heard the screaming of the wind."  
  
Emily chuckled as Darien lay shivering in front of the  
fire, the warmth soaking quickly into his cold skin, "That's  
twice she's saved your life from the snow now, boyo, I'd say  
you owe her big time."  
  
Serena blushed and turned away, dishing up three large  
bowls of stew before it went cold, "Here, eat up, this should  
help warm your insides."  
  
Emily shook her head as the girl changed the subject.   
Soon enough, she'd have to face all those fears she kept  
hidden.  
  
Darien graciously accepted the bowl and ate up, going  
back for seconds and even third before he announced he was  
full, and warm. Emily inspected his feet again and did a  
cursory check of his toes before allowing him to stand. She  
returned to her rocking chair, but only after collecting a  
book from the shelves.  
  
Darien insisted on doing the dishes because Serena had  
done dinner, it was, after all, the least he could do since  
she'd saved his life yet again. Serena laughed it off,  
telling him that it was the way of mountain folk to help each  
other out. He'd have done the same for her. Finally she  
left him alone with a basin full of dishes and retired to  
Emily's bunk, her back to him, and pulled something out of  
the folds of her clothes.  
  
"Serena," Emily's voice was soft in the cabin, "Come  
here child."  
  
Serena glanced over at Darien before hiding the object  
again inside her clothes and going to sit on the edge of the  
bed nearest Emily, "Yes?"  
  
Emily opened the book she held in the middle and pulled  
out three sheets of paper, "I encountered a man at the  
trading post who asked me to give you these when the first  
snows claimed the mountain. I hope you don't mind but I have  
read them through and would have given them to you sooner but  
I feared you would leave without thinking." She smiled  
slightly, "You tend to be impulsive when something affects  
you greatly. This way you must wait for a break in the snows  
and have time to think about your actions."  
  
Serena hesitantly reached for the pages. Emily's eyes  
were sad. "Climb up to your bunk to read them, dear."  
  
She nodded wordlessly and took the suggestion. She sat,  
crosslegged, the sheets in her lap. Each had her name  
inscribed on it by a different hand. She took the one with  
the most feminine looking handwriting and opened it  
carefully.  
  
  
My darling Serena,  
  
If you are reading this, it is because I am no longer with  
you. I wanted to watch you grow, to become a young woman I  
am proud to call my daughter, but it is not to be. I have  
become sick this past year, the sickness of the lungs and I  
know I will not live out this winter. Your father is a  
wonderful man, one that will look after you and teach you to  
the best of his abilities. I am writing this to let you know  
who you are, my sweet. You were born on June 14th, though in  
what year I am no longer certain. Living in the mountains  
does not give me the luxury of a calendar I am afraid. Your  
relatives will undoubtedly look for you and try to bully you  
into coming with them. You, my sweet girl, are the heir to a  
very large empire in Britan.   
  
You are probably doubting these words as you read them, but  
it is the truth, my father was a Duke of a large estate. The  
Moonwalker name is a very well known and respected name. The  
choice, if you wish to claim your birth rite is yours. Your  
full name is Serenity Anna Mary Moonwalker Jones. My family  
thought your father was below my station so I ran away with  
him, my darling Mitch Jones. You were named for our feelings  
here in these mountains. Listen to him, my dear, he will  
guide you, and is wise beyond his years.  
  
I am sorry I am not there to watch you grow into the  
beautiful young woman your small frame already promises. I  
love you, my darling Serena, never forget that I am with you  
even if you cannot see me.  
  
With love, your mother,  
  
Amanda Jones.  
  
  
Serena looked up from the note, tears in her eyes,  
"Serenity?" she whispered softly, trying out her full name.   
She wiped at her eyes, picturing a woman who was very much  
like Emily, but with golden hair, starting to fade away as  
she watched her daughter grow. She brushed her tears off her  
cheeks and refolded the letter. Taking a deep breath, she  
reached for the next one, her name written boldly on the  
outside.  
  
  
Serena,  
  
Well, your mother was wrong. I can't help you grow, and I  
can't be there for you. I don't expect you to understand,  
but I can't look at you and not miss her. I tried. You were  
five summers when I left you with Emily. Emily understands  
why I cannot take care of you myself, if you need to ask  
more, ask her, she can probably answer your questions better  
than I, but I will try.  
  
Your mother told me she would be writing you a letter about  
who you are and what you are heir too, so I won't go into  
that, but because she and I ran away to be together we have  
had a hard life. Raising a baby in these mountains is  
difficult, almost impossible, for someone as alone as I. You  
look so much like her, an angel stolen from heaven to grace  
us on earth and I am proud of you. I love you, never doubt  
that, but I cannot raise you myself. Emily has been on her  
own in these mountains for over ten years and can give you  
the support you need to grow into a strong young woman. I  
have no doubts that you are that now.   
  
When you turn twenty summers I will be back to see you and I  
hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for not  
being there to watch you grow.  
  
I love you, my daughter, never forget who you are.  
  
Mitch Jones.  
  
  
She folded the note along with her mother's, smoothing  
her hands over them both. People she didn't remember much  
about except for very distant memories. A song, a whisper, a  
chuckle, all seeming like a long forgotten dream. She picked  
up the last of the letters, very precise writing on the  
outside of it and felt reluctant to open it. She finally  
opened it and scanned through the words, her heart in her  
throat.  
  
  
Dear Miss Jones,  
  
I hope this reachs you promptly. A trapper in the hills has  
informed me he knows of your where abouts and will try to  
deliver it to you, and your guardian this year at the trading  
post.  
  
I regret to inform you that your father's body was found this  
spring outside of his cabin. It appears that he was mauled  
by a bear on one of his trapping excursions. I regret I am  
unable to bring you this news in person, but my schedule, and  
my paitents, do not allow for it. My deepest condolences.  
  
Sincerely,  
  
Dr. Frank Edwardro  
  
  
Serena closed her eyes as tears slipped through and  
burried her face in the pillow at the end of the bed. Her  
shoulders heaved in silent spasms as her silent crying made  
no sounds. Now she was alone, truely alone, her family  
having given into the harsh life of the mountains. 


	12. Chapter 12 : At The Beginning

July 2000  
  
Ok, Disclaimers, I don't own these characters or the song,  
and I'm not making money off of this, unfortunetly. The song  
is from the "Anastasia" Soundtrack.   
  
The story however, does belong to me.   
  
  
  
  
  
*Life is a road and I wanna keep going  
Love is a river I wanna keep going on  
Starting out on a journey  
Life is a road and I wanna keep going  
Love is a river and I wanna keep flowing  
In the end I wanna be standing   
At the beginning with you.*  
  
Darien helped skin and dress the carcass of the wolf in  
the trap before putting it onto the sled. In silence, Serena  
grabed the handle for the sled as he reset the trap in a new  
location a couple of feet away. They were on their last trap  
for the day, the sun already sinking low over the mountains.   
He glanced at her as they walked, concerned about her silence  
the last few weeks. She had barely said two words to him, or  
to Emily, and he was starting to get annoyed at her seeming  
inconsideration of them.  
  
They came into view of the cabin just as the sun  
disappeared and quickly unloaded the sled.   
  
Serena disappeared inside the cabin for a few moments  
before coming back out to help with the sled, as if she'd  
simply forgotten about it. Darien shook his head, "Alright,  
what's going on?"  
  
She glanced at him, "Nothing."  
  
"Yeah right, nothing, you've hardly said two words to  
me, or Emily, in over a month. What is going on?"  
  
She didn't even bother to spare him a glance this time  
as she pushed the sled into its spot next to the cabin door.   
A light snow fall was already covering their tracks and she  
made for the door, and the light, shining from the cabin.  
  
Darien grabbed her from behind, "I want to know,  
Serena." he told her sternly, "You're starting to worry me.   
Maybe Emily can put up with being treated like an inconvience  
from you but I sure as hell can't."  
  
"What, don't like a taste of your own medicine?" she  
asked acidly, breaking his hold on her and opening the door.  
  
Darien looked after her, shocked. Is this what it had  
felt like for her when he was being inconsierate of her  
feelings? He'd never felt so helpess, or so unwanted as far  
as he could remember. Not even the first winter he'd been  
here. He followed her into the cabin, careful to close the  
door quickly behind him to keep as much of the warmth inside  
as possible.  
  
Emily looked up from her rocking chair, "Looks like it  
could get nasty the next couple of days," she said, smiling.  
  
Darien nodded, "My hand is aching, so the weather is  
probably going to change. Though I couldn't tell you which  
way." he glanced at Serena, who was as far away from them as  
one could get in the small cabin, before he knelt next to  
Emily's rocking chair, "What is wrong with her?" he asked  
softly, careful not to be overheard.  
  
Emily sighed, "She's having trouble accepting some  
things about her past she just learned aout, give her time,  
Darien, she'll adjust and she'll be back to her normal self  
again. Soon, I hope."  
  
Darien looked at Serena, "I'm going to see if I can get  
her to talk to me, just pretend you can't hear what we're  
saying alright?"  
  
Emily grined wryly, "What'd you say sonny?" she asked,  
cupping a hand around her ear.  
  
Darien smiled his thanks before going to join Serena on  
the far side of the cabin where she was pearched on a bench.   
"Can I sit down?" he asked, keeping his voice low and gentle.  
  
"If you want."  
  
Darien slid in next to her, trapping her between the  
small table and the back wall of the cabin. She didn't seem  
to notice. "Can I ask a few questions?"  
  
She shrugged, "Can you handle the answers?"  
  
"I think so. What's on your mind?"  
  
Serena looked at her hands, refusing to lok at him and  
remained silent.  
  
He sighed inwardly, "Alright, bad topic, how about this.   
How can I help?"  
  
She looked at him then, "You could leave me alone."  
  
"Not a chance, princess-" Darien caught a flash of hurt  
in her eyes at his casual comment, "What, what did I say?"  
  
"Don't call me princess, please,"  
  
"Alright. Anything else I should, or shouldn't call  
you?"  
  
She shook her head, "Just Serena,"  
  
"Alright, what can I do to help?"  
  
"Are you a good listener?"  
  
He quirked an eyebrow at her, "I can be. I'm here if  
you need someone to listen to you, Sere. To be your friend."  
  
Her eyes glazed over, "Friends, huh? That's all I have  
left now. No family," she took a deep breath, tears clouding  
her eyes, "My mother died when I was little, do you remember  
me telling you that?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
"Well, during the first snowfall this year, Emily gave  
me three letters. One from my mother," she cleared her  
throat before continuing, "one from my father and one from a  
doctor. My pa passed away this last spring. He went to join  
ma, but ma's letter told me that I'm the heir to some  
property over in some place called Britan."  
  
Darien whistled, "That's across the ocean. Pretty far  
away,"   
  
Serena put her head in her hands, "My real name isn't  
even Serena, it's just a pet name that everyone calls me. Ma  
wrote that my name is Serenity. But don't you even think of  
calling me that, ya hear? I'm still Serena."  
  
Darien grinned, "Serenity. It suits you. But I won't  
call you that if you don't want me too."  
  
"Good. Pa told me that I was left with Emily here when  
I was five summers old. That means I am seventeen summers.   
He said he was going to come and see me when I reached twenty  
summers and now I'll never see him again. Plus I just don't  
know what I'm going to do if ma's family comes looking for me  
and tries to convince me to come back with them. I could  
never leave Emily. She's the only family I have left."  
  
Darien nodded, wrapping an arm about her shoulders,  
"You're strong, Sere, nobody could ever make you do something  
you don't want to."  
  
"You can." she whispered. She glanced at Emily, and  
then back to Darien when she saw the older woman had retired  
to her bunk, her back to them. "I don't know how, or why,  
but you make me do things, say things, nobody else could."  
  
"Likewise, Angel."  
  
"Angel?" she echoed, surprised.  
  
Darien nodded, "An angel sent from heaven to grace the  
earth with her prescense."  
  
Serena smiled, a tear slipping down her cheek, "My dad  
wrote that in his letter, almost exactly."  
  
"He was right."  
  
Serena reached into a flap next to her heart and pulled  
a silver and black chain out of the pouch, a strange pendant  
hanging from it. She offered it to him, "I found this the  
spring that you left us. I remember you telling me that you  
felt like you were missing something important. I think this  
is it."  
  
Darien accepted it, running his fingers over the chain,  
feeling a sense of peace wash over him. "This is it," he  
said softly, his gaze going to the pendant. Silver, laced  
with gold, onyx and jade, it formed the word 'Endymion'.   
Surrounding it, done in ruby, was a flowering rose.  
  
"Endymion?" he whispered, confused. The word was so  
familiar but he couldn't place it. "I still don't  
understand."  
  
Serenity gently took the pendant and clasped it around  
his neck, "Maybe you're not meant to yet. Just promise me  
one thing."  
  
He met her gaze, "Anything."  
  
"Don't leave me like last time. I couldn't bare another  
seperation like that. Whatever we do, we do together."  
  
"You want me to stay?"  
  
She nodded, a tear slipping down her cheek.  
  
"Why?"  
  
She bit her lip, "Because you and Emily are my family,  
Darien. I love you. I love her. If either of you left it  
would destroy me."  
  
Darien hugged her close, "You have no idea how long I  
have been waiting to hear you speak those words. I love you,  
Serena, I have since I met you all those years ago. Leaving  
the first time nearly broke me."  
  
Serena closed her eyes and hugged him back, relishing  
the strength in his arms. "Promise me. We started this  
together, we'll end it together, no matter what happens?"  
  
"It's a promise." he bent his neck, his lips settling  
over hers a means of sealing his promise. A promise of new  
beginnings, budding love, and a journey that was beginning,  
and going to continue, forever.  
  
The End  
  
  
Author's Note: That's it for the latest work of mine.. Let me know what you  
think, it was kinda spontaneous considering the content (I got insired one  
night). Please Read and Review, I'd love to get some feedback on this story!  
  
Thanks for reading!  
  
Jade_Max 


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